Policy 210 - School Board Meetings - Open and Closed

The school board embraces the philosophy of openness in the conduct of its business, in the belief that openness produces better programs, more efficiency in administration of programs, and an organization more responsive to public interest and less susceptible to private interest. The school board shall conduct its business under a presumption of openness. At the same time, the school board recognizes and respects the privacy rights of individuals as provided by law. The school board also recognizes that there are certain exceptions to the Minnesota Open Meeting Law as recognized in statute where it has been determined that, in limited circumstances, the public interest is best served by closing a meeting of the school board.

A. Except as otherwise expressly provided by statute, all meetings of the school board, including executive sessions, shall be open to the public.

B. Meetings shall be closed only when expressly authorized by law.

• Minn. Stat. Ch. 13 (Minnesota Government Data Practices Act)
• Minn. Stat. Ch. 13D (Open Meeting Law)
• Minn. Stat. § 121A.47, Subd. 5 (Student Dismissal Hearing)
• Minn. Stat. § 122A.33, Subd. 3 (Coaches; Opportunity to Respond)
• Minn. Stat. § 122A.40, Subd. 14 (Teacher Discharge Hearing)
• Minn. Stat. § 179A.14, Subd. 3 (Labor Negotiations)
• Minn. Rules Part 5510.2810 (Bureau of Mediation Services)
• Brown v. Cannon Falls Township, 723 N.W.2d 31 (Minn. App. 2006)
• Brainerd Daily Dispatch v. Dehen, 693 N.W.2d 435 (Minn. App. 2005)
• The Free Press v. County of Blue Earth, 677 N.W.2d 471 (Minn. App. 2004)
• Prior Lake American v. Mader, 642 N.W.2d 729 (Minn. 2002)
• Star Tribune v. Board of Education, Special School District No. 1, 507 N.W.2d 869 (Minn. App. 1993)
• Minnesota Daily v. University of Minnesota, 432 N.W.2d 189 (Minn. App. 1988)
• Moberg v. Independent School District No. 281, 336 N.W.2d 510 (Minn. 1983)
• Sovereign v. Dunn, 498 N.W.2d 62 (Minn. App. 1993), rev. denied. (Minn. 1993)
• Dept. of Admin. Advisory Op. No. 12-004 (March 8, 2012)
• Dept. of Admin. Advisory Op. No. 11-004 (April 18, 2011)
• Dept. of Admin. Advisory Op. No. 10-020 (September 23, 2010)
• Dept. of Admin. Advisory Op. No. 09-020 (September 8, 2009)
• Dept. of Admin. Advisory Op. No. 08-015 (July 9, 2008)
• Dept. of Admin. Advisory Op. No. 06-027 (September 28, 2006)
• Dept. of Admin. Advisory Op. No. 04-004 (February 3, 2004)

• Adopted: May 12, 1986
• Amended: December 13, 2004
• Amended: February 11, 2008
• Amended: November 13, 2017
• Last Reviewed: November 13, 2017

• Policy 210-R - School Board Meetings - Open and Closed Regulations